FaceTime: Everything You Need To Know

 

FaceTime is the video and audio chat platform for Apple that allows iPhone users to communicate with each other using the standard video protocol of FaceTime or via the audio function of FaceTime.

FaceTime is commonly recognised as a key iPhone , iPad, and Mac feature, but this guide will walk you through what you need to know if you are new to FaceTime. A trick or two may be learned even by established FaceTime users.

Setting Up FaceTime

If you have an iPhone, FaceTime is automatically enabled using your phone number, just like iMessage, but you can also opt to use it with an email address instead. Having FaceTime up and running happens automatically with a SIM card after your iPhone is enabled, but if it does not work for any reason or it has been switched off, you can follow the steps below.

Your other devices will also use your phone number to place FaceTime calls as long as you are signed into the same iCloud account on all of them when you use an iPhone with FaceTime.

If you don't have an iPhone, FaceTime can be set up using an email address via the FaceTime app on an iPad, iPod touch, or Mac.

• How to Set Up FaceTime on an iPhone
• How to Set up FaceTime on an iPad
• How to Set Up FaceTime on a Mac
• How to Turn Off FaceTime

There is no way to delete a phone number from FaceTime entirely, but you can choose between two separate numbers if you have an iPhone with dual-SIM capabilities. You can choose to use a FaceTime email address instead of a phone number, and there are options for changing the email address you are using, too.

FaceTime Video vs. FaceTime Audio

Two ways to use FaceTime are open. You can use FaceTime Video, which is the normal way to use FaceTime with a two-way video link (or more with FaceTime Group), or you can use FaceTime Audio, which is an audio-only option, as the name implies.

For when you want to see the person on the other end of the call, FaceTime video is fantastic, while FaceTime Audio is essentially akin to a voice-based phone call. As it's a VoIP service close to anything like Skype, FaceTime Audio also provides better call quality than a normal phone call.

• How to Make a FaceTime Call
• How to Make a FaceTime Audio Call
• How to Make a FaceTime Call With Siri
• How to Switch From FaceTime Video to FaceTime Audio
• How to Switch From FaceTime Audio to FaceTime Video
• How to Switch from a Regular Phone Call to FaceTime
• How to Mirror a FaceTime Call to Apple TV or an AirPlay 2-Compatible Smart TV
• How to Record a FaceTime Call on Your Mac

Devices Compatible With FaceTime

FaceTime is an app that can be found on Apple devices. On the iPhone, iPod touch, iPad , and Mac, FaceTime Video and FaceTime Audio work.

The HomePod and Apple Watch will address and place FaceTime Audio calls, but video calls do not work on these devices.

FaceTime on Android?

FaceTime is only a feature of the iPhone, and placing a FaceTime call to another person requires all users to have an iPhone. There is no choice for an Android user to use FaceTime or put a FaceTime call on an Android user. Daily phone calls or other video services such as Skype , WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and more may need to be used for iPhone and Android conversations.

Making a FaceTime Video Call

It is as easy to make a FaceTime video call as opening the FaceTime app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, tapping the "+" button in the corner, selecting a contact, tapping the FaceTime option, and then selecting "Video."

FaceTime can also be triggered by selecting a contact and choosing the FaceTime option through the Contacts app, or by tapping the name of a person in an iMessage thread through the Messages app and then choosing the FaceTime option. You can also set up Favorites through the Contacts app and make a FaceTime call via the Phone app ('iPhone') or in the Today section of the Notification Center ('iPhone' and 'iPad') via the Favorites widget.

Note that in the FaceTime app you can select from FaceTime Audio or Video, but initiating FaceTime through Contacts or Messages immediately initiates a video call.

The front-facing camera on your Mac, iPad, or iPhone will activate when you initiate a FaceTime call with someone so that you can be seen by the person on the other end. FaceTime calls also hit the other person almost instantaneously, unlike with a phone call.

The front-facing camera on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac will also be enabled by answering an incoming FaceTime video call, as FaceTime is primarily a video chat site.

Making a FaceTime Audio Call

You can use FaceTime Audio if you would like to start a call with someone but want to use voice chat instead of video. FaceTime Audio can be installed on the iPhone , iPad, or Mac, unlike a conventional phone call, and either a WiFi or cellular network is used.

As it is also higher quality because it uses a higher-quality codec that beats even the HD voice services provided by carriers, FaceTime Audio can be superior to a regular phone call.

It's easiest to place a FaceTime Audio call in the FaceTime app by selecting a person to contact and then tapping "Audio" instead of the "Video" option. The other choice for FaceTime Audio is to use the Favorites option set in the Phone app or in the Notification Center Favorites widget.

You can also allow FaceTime Audio in Messages by tapping the contact and then selecting the 'Audio' option, or by tapping the phone icon under the FaceTime header in the Contacts app.

Using FaceTime Over WiFi

When using WiFi, FaceTime works better, since a video link between two parties can be heavy with data. When using a high-speed WiFi or cellular link, you'll get the clearest picture.

FaceTime will use WiFi by default when connected to a WiFi network on ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, or Mac.

If the link speeds are not high enough, the video will look pixelated and the video stream will be completely cut off when the connexion speeds are really slow. FaceTime Audio needs less data than normal FaceTime, but can fail or sound distorted with very bad connectivity.

Using FaceTime Over LTE

FaceTime also operates over mobile phones on devices with an LTE connexion, such as an iPhone or iPad (or a Mac connected to a hotspot).

There are no longer restricted minutes on most cell phone contracts, but FaceTime Audio and the regular FaceTime video do not use cell phone minutes. It should be remembered that FaceTime eats up information, and how much information it uses can vary by system, communication quality, and other variables.

By opening the FaceTime app and clicking on the I next to a person in your recent call list, you will see how much data you have used in a FaceTime call. Here are more thorough instructions:

FaceTiming With Many People Using FaceTime Party

You can video (or audio) chat with up to 32 individuals at one time with Group FaceTime, introduced in iOS 12.

Community FaceTime shows all participants in a tiled view, with the size of the tile of each person varying depending on the number of chat participants. To give attention to that person, the tile size for the person speaking at the moment will get larger, but you can also use Focus View to double-tap any participant you want to see in the conversation.

New individuals can be introduced at any time to an established FaceTime group chat, so you can start a chat with a group of friends and then add others as time goes by. Community FaceTime calls give participants a ringless notification which can be tapped to join them.

Important: There was a bug found in iOS 12.1.3 with Community FaceTime, which allows people to listen to private conversations. Apple fixed the issue, but as a result, iOS 12.1.4 or later is needed by Community FaceTime and will not function with earlier versions of iOS 12.

Automatic Prominence in Group FaceTime

Apple introduced a function for Community FaceTime in iOS 13.5 that allows you to turn off Automatic Prominence, aka the feature that adjusts the size of people's tiles based on who happens to be talking.

With Automatic Prominence switched off, as they speak, people's tiles will not get bigger and will instead be seen in a grid view of equal sizes. If someone who uses sign language is known so that you can see what is being signed, there is also an option to allow Automatic Prominence.

FaceTime Compact UI

As of iOS and iPadOS 14, the entire view of the iPhone or iPad is no longer taken over by an incoming FaceTime call, with the call now showing up as a small banner.

The banner is interactive and can be tapped for a FaceTime call to accept or decline, with more information available in our iOS 14 interface guide.

Picture in Picture

With iOS 14, thanks to the latest Picture in Picture mode that is available, you can do other stuff on your iPhone while you chat with a FaceTime window open.

Swiping out of FaceTime would now open a window that can be resized for Picture in Picture, so you can use apps without having to pause FaceTime. See our Picture in Picture guide for more information on Picture in Picture and how to use it.

Eye Contact

If you toggle the "Eye Contact" function in the settings of FaceTime, it tweaks the FaceTime video to make it look like you're making eye contact with the person you're talking to when staring at the screen of the "iPhone" or "iPad."

Using Memoji and Animoji When in FaceTime

You may choose to overlay an Animoji or Memoji character over your head while using FaceTime for a video call, which is a fun way to chat with children or add a touch of whimsy to a conversation.

You can pick any of the Animoji-like emoji characters or any of the Memoji characters that you've developed for the Messages app to use. For a very realistic, interactive experience, Animoji and Memoji use the TrueDepth camera system to monitor your head and mouth movements.

This function is restricted to devices that have a TrueDepth camera and it won't work on older devices because TrueDepth is needed. Animoji and Memoji also only work on the iPhone and the iPad, with no available Mac option.

In FaceTime, inserting a Memoji or Animoji to cover your face is as easy as tapping on the monitor to pull up the menu bar, tapping on the "Effects" button, and then tapping on the monkey-like icon.

Using Effects in FaceTime

You can add philtres, stickers, animated shapes, Memoji and Animoji stickers, and text to your FaceTime video along with Animoji and Memoji to spice it up.

From those that simply tweak colours to those that incorporate effects such as watercolour, comic book, aged film, ink, and more, there are a number of philtres to choose from.

As for stickers, along with Memoji and Amimoji stickers that are still emoji-like versions of Animoji / Memoji, there are some animated shapes available by default, plus you can use any sticker pack purchased from the App Store or made available from an app you have already enabled.

As for stickers, along with Memoji and Amimoji stickers that are still emoji-like versions of Animoji / Memoji, there are some animated shapes available by default, plus you can use any sticker pack purchased from the App Store or made available from an app you have already enabled.

Capturing a Live Photo With FaceTime

You can catch a live shot of a moment during a conversation by using FaceTime for a video call. To take a live shot, all you need to do is tap on the monitor to open the camera button and then tap the camera button.

Tapping the camera button will let you know that you have taken a live photo and let the person know that you have taken a live photo at the other end of the call. That prevents people without your knowledge from taking live photos of you during a conversation.

The participants in the video call have to have Live Photos in FaceTime enabled to use this function, which can be found by opening Settings, selecting FaceTime, and then switching to FaceTime Live Photos.

If you disable this by toggling it off, no one will be able to take FaceTime ‌Live Photos‌ when chatting with you.

Blocking Unwanted FaceTime Calls

If you get unwanted video and audio calls from FaceTime, via the built-in blocking feature in the Contacts app, there is a choice to avoid them. You can press the little I button next to the name or number in the FaceTime App or Phone App list of recent FaceTime calls to pull up a small contact card.

The contact card will have the option "Block this Caller" at the bottom and that person will no longer be able to contact you if you tap it.

Countries Where FaceTime is Available

In almost all countries around the world, with the exception of the United Arab Emirates, FaceTime is open. An iPhone or iPad must run iOS 11.3 or later in order to use FaceTime in Saudi Arabia, and devices must run iOS 12.4 or later in order to use FaceTime in Pakistan.

If a SIM card from a country outside the Middle East is inserted, devices purchased in some Middle Eastern countries may also block FaceTime. In China, FaceTime Audio is not available. All iPhones and iPads that are sold in China are restricted to the regular video functionality of FaceTime.

Notice that if you buy an iPhone or iPad in China or the United Arab Emirates and then attempt to use it in another region, it will disable the FaceTime features mentioned above. It is not recommended to purchase an iPhone from China or the Middle East, unless you live in those countries.